With the cane crushing season round the corner, the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday announced the cane support price of Rs 130 per quintal for the early (Agaiti) variety. For the normal (sadharan) and inferior (Anupyukta) varieties, the support prices have been fixed at Rs 125 and Rs 122.50 per quintal respectively for the 2007-08 season.
Minister for sugarcane Naseemuddin Siddique in the state Vidhan Sabha announced this on Wednesday. Later, speaking to newsmen chief minister Mayawati said that the state government is serious about the problems of the farmers and had provided Rs 113 crore as budgetary assistance and Rs 200 crore as government guarantee for payment of arrears by government and cooperative sugar mills.
Blaming the former government for pending cane dues, she said that at the time of formation of her government the dues were Rs 3,005 crore, which came down to over 50% after payment of dues of Rs 1,593 crore.
The government had tightened the noose around private sugar mills and recovery certificates have been issued against 64 mills that were not serious in paying cane dues to farmers.